Roy Mustang's Sister
by Sapphira T
Summary: Meet Reyna Mustang, younger, feistier, more sarcastic (If that's even possible), sister who was once upon a time just a little girl who excelled at school and alchemy. Though her brother doesn't know the second; but one night, she is forced to see the truth, and everything changes. Join her on her adventure through the world of FMA as she figures out what happened that night.
1. Prologue

_Prologue:_ I walked down the sidewalk, greeting anyone who passed with a smile. Just like mother told me to, I guess she was my adopted mother but she was still the only mother I cared about. I was happy, today big brother was coming home. Roy had been gone for a very long time and I couldn't wait to tell him my big secret, I promised I would tell him if he got home safe. He had gone away to check on something near the eastern border or something, he didn't really tell me much more than that. Big brother was a soldier, he was an alchemist. He could do magic with just a snap of his fingers, it was really cool and he showed me a few tricks before he left. He could make fire out of thin air! That's really cool right? Big brother could beat anyone, so I wasn't worried about him.

I wanted to be just like him when I got older. He always kept his cool, never ever backed away, and no matter what, he always took care of his friends. Like Hawkeye! Mother says that Roy would probably be dead by now if it weren't for her, and Mr. Hughes! He was a big help to Roy too! He had taken Roy home a lot when he had fallen asleep at his office, brought him coffee, and he also introduced me to his wife! She's a very nice lady and she had always played with me when I was younger, and visited often when Mr. Hughes was with big brother.

I skipped a little, practically leaping for joy. Soon I would be tackling big brother! I ducked into an alley way to get home quicker, Mother had told me to go to the park and play with my friends, but they had to go home early so I had to walk home alone. I didn't mind, I liked being alone, then I could think. A lot of times it was too loud to think! People bustling everywhere, muttering, yelling, and shoving. How could anyone think? But big brother could. He could think in the noise, he also yelled back at people. So I tried to think clearly in noisy areas and had become a bit of an expert at it! Not as much as big brother, but enough to function properly.

I even excelled more in school 'cause of it! I was several grades higher than my own because I could focus more, tune out white noise and all that stuff. I was only 11 but was in school with people who were 15. They were all really nice to me and I made a ton of friends, friends are great. Just like Roy's friends, my friends take care of me. But they had to go home, so that's why they didn't walk me home like usual.

I was thinking all this when a voice ahead of me made me stop, "Where do you think you're going so late at night, huh kid?" I almost ran away, my friends had told me scary stories about someone kidnapping young girls in alleyways late at night when they were alone. But then I remembered what big brother would do, he would stand his ground, fight back. So I stood up straighter, putting my hands into fists, and asked coolly, "Who are you? What do you want?" The man stepped further into the light and he was wearing weird clothing. Something that Mother would frown at for a guy to wear; he was barefoot with black cloth wrapped around the middle of his foot and his ankle, leaving his toes and heels free, he had on either short shorts or a black skirt, and he had a very small shirt that exposed his stomach.

His hair was kept out of his face by a black cloth wrapped around his head, but it spiked out, like a porcupine's quills, and it had a strange green tint to it. He also had black cloth wrapped around his palms.

He chuckled lightly and said, "You're pretty brave, for a human." I set my jaw, "Some 'humans' can be brave. And you say that like you aren't one." He laughed and spread his hands, "That's cause I ain't kid, and the humans I've seen quiver in fear at the sight of me." I scoffed, mimicking brother's pose that he gets when he's talking to someone he doesn't like, with my back straight and tall, my jaw set in defiance, and my feet spread shoulder-width apart. "Then you haven't met many humans have you?"

His mouth fell open in surprise and I heard a cool, slow, seductive voice behind me say, "Well, well, well. Seems as though the younger Mustang has the same attitude as her brother does, it does appear that it runs in the family doesn't it, Envy?" I turned my head coolly over my shoulder to see a woman dressed in a black figure hugging dress sauntering over to us. I turned back to Envy, "I asked you before, Envy. What do you want? And who's your friend?" The girl laughed and stepped next to Envy.

Envy crossed his arms and assumed the cocky expression he had on before, "Her? She's Lust, I'm Envy." I laughed haughtily, just like I had seen other people do, "Congrats smart guy, in case you didn't hear me before, I heard your name from 'Lust'? What's with the 7 deadly sins vibe goin' on?" Envy threw his head back and laughed arrogantly while Lust replied with a small smirk, "Because, our father chose us to be that way. And there **are** 7 of us, all 'sins' as you call us."

I clenched my fists tighter to keep from shaking, I smiled cockily at her, "You two still haven't my question, what do you want?" Lust smiled wickedly at me, "We just wanted to make sure a candidate for sacrifice was ready before we chose another." I fought against the shiver threatening to show, sacrifice? No way in hell. So I smirked at her, "Oh really? Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm hard to kill." Envy laughed again, "Oh, not yet kid. We're just getting you ready, you've got a while before death comes to get ya. And I personally can't wait to hear your screams."

He snapped his fingers and someone else was dragged into the light, a women, terrified and bleeding. "Since you are the younger Mustang, we figured you be like you're big bro. You know how he's always saving the innocent and defenseless? Well, you're gonna do the same thing. You're going to save her life." He pointed to the ground where I stood, I looked down in rage to find…. A Human transmutation circle, that's right. I knew what it was. That's my secret. I knew how to do Alchemy, Roy didn't know, I was going to tell him tonight.

But this, is forbidden. I remember him telling me about two brothers doing it not two months ago, the older brother had lost his arm and his leg, the younger lost his whole body.

Where they going to make me do transmutation? No way. No. Then I felt big hands grab my arms, I kicked out on instinct but someone else grabbed me. They forced me to the ground, so that I was kneeling right in front of the circle, then the woman was dragged to the center and they shoved her down. One man who had been holding her pulled out a gun and shot her in the stomach, Envy laughed at my expression and I snarled at him, "Bastard! You play with life like it's a game! You're a sick Bastard!"

He strutted over to me and kicked me in the ribs, I doubled over and coughed up blood. Then he grabbed my hair and forced me to look at him, "I may be a bastard, but you are going to preform human transmutation on this women or she'll die. What will it be? Refuse and watch her die in pain? Or save her?" He threw my head back down and laughed, Lust laughed too. "So, Mustang, what will be your choice? Will you save her? Or will you watch her die? I don't really think you have a choice in the matter." She nodded to the two men holding me and they forced my hands together, then shoved them down to the circle. Blue energy crackled around me and I yelled, "NO!" Before the circle opened up in the form of an eye, from the center a thousand black hands flew at me. The tugged at me, ripping me apart, piece by piece.

I saw a blinding white light, and in front of me sat a vaguely humanoid thing. It sat cross legged, it looked at me without eyes and gave me a wide grin. "Well, hello Reyna Mustang. Preformed the taboo didn't you? Well then, you can see the truth. But, what will you give me in return hmm? Well, you use your senses plenty, how about I take one of them huh?" Before I could respond, the black hands flew at me again, ripping me apart again and dragging me through a door. I screamed in pain and suddenly I was back in the alley. I felt… wrong. I couldn't feel the cold, I knew I should've, but I just…. Didn't. I felt the pain everywhere in my body, but I didn't feel the cold ground, or the chilly air surrounding me.

I couldn't…. feel… it. I could still feel the solidity under me, and the thickness of air brushing my cheek, but not the temperature. It took the Elric's bodies, did it take my sense of temperature? Odd thing to take isn't it? I think I'm in shock, the ground started coming closer, I'm definitely in shock. Then I hit the ground and blacked out.

When I forced my eyes open I saw big brother running towards me, screaming for someone to help him. He kneeled next to me and took off his uniform coat hurriedly, he wrapped it around me and picked me up into his lap. I looked to where the hurt woman should have been to see… a dead body. She's dead. The transmutation didn't work, it wasn't meant to work. That's why it was a taboo, when a soul dies or is in the process of dying, there's nothing that can be exchanged for that. Nothing can become an equivalent exchange for a human soul. What was the point then? Why did, Envy and Lust, force me to do it? They had to have known it wouldn't work. But they still made me do it.

Roy was shaking me, he shouted, "Reyna! Reyna! Can you hear me?" I tried to nod, I was so…. Tired. "Yes." I choked out. He breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank God. What happened? Are you hurt anywhere? Who's the woman?" I coughed and felt the stickiness of blood on my lips, but couldn't feel the heat. "I think I broke my ribs, I don't know what happened Roy. I don't know who she is. But they made me…." I coughed up more blood, my skin felt like someone was sticking thousands of tiny needles into it. "Reyna? Reyna! Stay with me, who made you do what?" In answer, I pointed to the transmutation circle. Roy's mouth fell open in shock and his face paled in fear and anger, "They…." He could barely contain his rage, "They made you preform human transmutation?" I nodded and coughed.

I nodded again and felt tears flowing from my eyes, but again, I couldn't feel their cool sting. I just felt their weight, tasted the salt, and heard them drip from my chin. "I'm sorry brother. I couldn't stop them, I couldn't save her. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He hugged me to his chest as I sobbed, "Shh. Shh. It's okay, it wasn't your fault, I'll find who did this. I promise. But, what did you lose? Reyna, what did you lose in penance?" "I can't feel…." Another cough.

His arms tightened around me in panic, "You can't feel me? You can't feel this?" I shook my head, "No, brother, I feel you. But I can't, I can't feel the cold. I can't feel the temperature." Darkness began to swim in my vision again and I heard Roy shouting, "Reyna! Reyna don't you dare close your eyes! That's an order dammit! Stay with me!" But his voice was getting softer and softer, until it stopped completely.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer! I do not own any FMA brotherhood characters or the storyline, if I did the series would still be going somehow. I just own Josh (Who probably won't be here very much) and Reyna. Enjoy the story!**

 _3 years later:_ I heard my mother pound on my door, "Reyna! Get up! You need to eat breakfast before I go to work!" I groaned and rolled out of bed, I opened the door to see my adopted mother staring at me with her hands on her hips and a small smirk on her face. The smell of her cigarette smoke wrapped around me like a comfortable blanket, she never smoked inside our house, but she did outside and she brought the smell with her. "Morning." I mumbling sleepily, she smirked at me, "You look like you were dragged through a bush. Comb your hair before you get breakfast." I smiled at her and staggered to the bathroom at the other end of the hall, I walked in and looked at myself in the mirror.

I had the same dark, striking features as my brother did. Curly black hair, dark blue eyes, high cheekbones, pale skin, and a lean figure. This year though, I had gone through puberty, so I wasn't the short, broad shouldered girl anymore. I had gotten taller, about 5'5, tall for a girl I know, I was willowy and lean, I was very athletic and was a great acrobat, and I had grown into my shoulders. Now I looked normal, not like a weird circus freak. Mother says that's what all teenagers think.

But I wasn't like other teenagers, I had seen truth, I could clap my hands together and preform Alchemy without a circle. Roy knew about it but chose to ignore it, he told me never to tell anyone, not even his friends knew. He said if anyone found out I would be like the Fullmetal Alchemist, I would take the test and definitely become a dog of the military, something he refused to let me do. But I had nothing else TO do, I had already graduated school a year ago with flying colors.

So most of the time I would just walk over to Roy's office or take a train to somewhere for the day, thanks to Roy being the Flame Alchemist, I had plenty of money to fuel my exploring addiction. He gave me weekly allowance and made sure our mother had enough to pay rent with when her bar wasn't doing so well. I spent most of my time with him, living in his apartment and such. I spent the weekends with my mother though, at least at night and in the morning. During the day I walked around, bored out of my mind. I told Roy this frequently, that I'd like to go see Briggs, or go south, or even visit the Ishvalan ruins. He would just look away thoughtfully and not say anything, so I eventually gave up on telling him. It wasn't gaining me any headway.

Today I was thinking about going to a small town a few hours from Central, I had been there before and they had fantastic ice cream. Yet another addiction, specifically double chocolate chip ice cream. Whoever invented it deserved a million rewards, or more.

I would pop by Roy's office with coffee for both of us, say hello to Mr. Hughes, and then go to the train.

I changed quickly, ran downstairs, and scarfed down breakfast. "You're in a hurry today, any plans?" Mother asked as she put more lipstick on, not that she needed it. She probably put so much lipstick on that even if she washed it off, it would still be there. I nodded as I put my plate in the sink and pulled my hair into a high ponytail, it was too long, going just past my shoulders, but it was long enough for my tastes. I nodded and leaned against the sink, "Yeah, I'm planning on catching a train and going to a small city I've been in before."

She laughed dryly, "Every single city near central you been too, you could go farther, if your brother would let you." I laughed, "Right, because he would definitely let me. I'll be lucky if he lets me go when I'm 18." She smiled dryly, "Good point, well, have fun and be careful." I kissed her cheek and grinned coyly at her, "I most of the time am." She rolled her eyes and called after me as I swung on my brown leather jacket, "Don't forget Rogue! And take your scarf just in case!" I rolled my eyes and yelled back, "Mother! I can't get cold! Or hot! Remember? And I can see the heat sensors in front of me, relax, I know when to put a jacket on or take it off. I'll see you later!"

I whistled softly and my wolf came barreling around the corner, that's right, I've got a wolf. Roy got him for me on a trip after the… incident that took away my sense of temperature. His name is Rogue, he has black with white paws, tail, and a white face with obsidian eyes. He was to my waist in height and was very buff, for a wolf. He somehow always knew where I was and he never lost me.

I ran out the door with him close behind me, I grabbed my messenger bag from a hook before I exited. I jogged through the swirling masses of people, all of them bundled up in coats, gloves, and scarves. It was a bit chilly in the city today, and everyone was still buzzing from the State Alchemist murders.

I snapped my fingers and the world around me became a swirl of heat and cold colors, I could see the red and orange of the people surrounding me and the icy blue of the world around them. I knew I should be cold, the only thing I had on was a leather jacket, not really the best for cold weather. But I missed the cold air, I missed feeling the heat of the sun, I missed everything I had lost. Before I saw the Truth, I didn't really appreciate my sense of temperature, I never appreciated the feeling of the sun on my cheeks, or the chilliness of rain in my hair, or even the feeling of being wrapped in my mother's warm embrace. I missed it the most, or the feeling of warmth from Roy's hand when he ruffled my hair.

I snapped my fingers and my vision became normal again; I kept jogging past people to the coffee shop. Shoving the bad memories and thoughts aside, one day, one day I would get it back. I just had to keep looking.

When I got to the café I waltzed in and was greeted by the usual, "Morning Reyna! The usual order today?" I nodded and replied with a smile to the boy behind the counter, "Yep, and good morning to you too Josh." Josh was a boy about 19 years old, already done with school with flying colors, but instead of getting a really high quality job like he could, he decided to help his family's business and work for the café. He was a great friend, and extremely loyal. Once, when someone had thrown a punch at me in the park, he had 'accidently' poured his coffee on the guy's head. We both sprinted away laughing. Oh, and yes, I get a lot of punches thrown at me. Part of them were Roy's fault, the other half mine. Roy's fault because I'm 'the little upstart's pipsqueak sister', apparently he wasn't popular with everyone as he would like to believe.

I sat down on a chair near the register and handed Josh the money, he took it and looked at me over his glasses. He had a nice look to him, kind green eyes covered with glasses, tan skin dotted with freckles, shaggy brown hair that went just past his ears, a narrow face, and a lean build. It was a wonder that he didn't have girls fawning over him most of the time.

He grinned at me as he stirred the coffee, "So, what's your plan today fairest maiden?" I laughed and leaned forward, "I was thinking about catching a train to a lovely city with the best Ice Cream in the world. Want to come with?" He sighed and rubbed his neck, "I wish I could Reyna, but I've got to stay here. My little sister needs someone to watch her, but next time I'm there." He handed me the 7 coffee's and the bag of pastries, I smiled at him, "No problem, I understand. Well, I'll see you later Josh." He waved to me and turned to the next customer, a lot of people think that we're dating, but we have both said (Him first) that we feel more like siblings.


	3. Chapter 2

I walked briskly to where my brother's office was, when I got to the front door the two men standing there saluted me and opened the door. "Thanks guys!" I called to them over my shoulder, "No problem little Mustang!" It seemed to be a running joke to call me 'The little Mustang' some called me the 'Mini Inferno' too, sometimes it was just 'Inferno'. I didn't mind the last one, the other two were slightly annoying.

I smiled at everyone I passed and eventually made it to Roy's office, I hit the door with my foot until Riza opened it. "Morning Hawkeye!" I said cheerfully, I set down the tray of coffee and handed her one. "I think this one's yours." She smiled at me and took the coffee, she looked…. Tired. I looked around the office to see all of them practically falling asleep. "Didn't you guys get any sleep?" I asked, crossing my arms. Riza shook her head, "No, Colonel Mustang had us working most of the night trying to find Scar." I tilted my head, "The Alchemist murderer?" She nodded, I frowned and started to hand out the rest of the coffee.

Riza was a sharp shooter, she specialized in the sniper rifle and whatever she shoots at, she hits. Only on rare occasions does she miss. Her mind is as sharp as her shots and she taught me how to shoot anything under the sky, though I prefer throwing knives and cutlasses.

I handed a coffee to Kain and he immediately said, "Oh! You don't have to Miss Reyna!" I waved my hand, "Kain, I give everyone else coffee, you get some too. Don't worry about it, besides, you look like you need some." Kain Fuery was the nicest one in my brother's commando, he's a technologic genius. He and I play 'who can put the radio together the fastest' when he has nothing to do.

I walked over to Vato Falman and set his coffee down, he said a quick thanks and took a big gulp. He was nice too, mostly used to remember information so his combat skills weren't the greatest. But he had the best memory in the commando and could repeat anything he had heard, seen, or read word for word. He and I play 'Memory' when he has time, he always wins though.

I turned and set the next coffee down at Heymans Breda's desk, he looked at Rogue warily even though he had met him a dozen times. He has a very high intelligence but a very irrational fear of dogs, he and I play chess together. I've only beaten him once though. That's why he's in the commando, he's a great strategist and can design battle plans on the run.

I strode over to Jean Havoc's desk next, handing him his coffee. He, of course, had a nearly burnt out cigarette in his mouth and he grinned at me, "Thanks Inferno." I grinned at him and looked back at Riza, "If you guys want, I could help you with Scar. Or at least, in here. Tell me about what happened." She handed me a blueprint of the city and pointed to an area, "That's where he was last seen, he vanished into the sewers after blowing a hole into the ground. We have soldiers posted on the exits of the sewers, and scouts searching inside, but we haven't found anything yet."

I looked at Havoc, who was closest to me, "Hey, Havoc, do you have a pen I could borrow?" He handed me one and looked over my shoulder, the others crowding around me too. I circled the exits muttering to myself, "Soldiers here, here, and here. All exits covered, scouts inside, they would have taken these routes to search more areas, the walls are unstable here, here, and there. Perfect for someone with low Alchemic energy, the hypocrite, to break through without causing too much damage and still getting away. Some of this walls are so thick not even a cannon could break through them, and most of the walls that aren't are in populated areas. So that only leaves two of the 6 places he could have popped up at, the bridge, and the southern end of Central. Most likely the bridge due to the fact that there's an office with soldiers at the southern end of Central."

I circled it and handed it back to Riza, "You could check there, near the bridge, the wall is thin enough for him to break through. And the area isn't too populated that he would draw a lot of attention." She nodded and ordered Havoc and Breda to get soldiers and go there. As soon as they left, I heard clapping behind me.

I turned to see Roy staring at me with a small smirk on his face, "I knew you would figure it out. I was just about to call you." I rolled my eyes, "Sure you were Roy. You've got too much of an ego to call on your little sister for help." He held up his hands and chuckled, "Easy there Natural Disaster." That was a joke between the two of us, the Alchemy I was best at was causing natural disasters. Earthquakes, blizzards, inferno's (Volcanoes), sandstorms, hurricanes, tsunamis, and more. Plus, I added twists of my own to the storms. Like I could create a fiery tornado, or an electric blizzard. No one else knew why he called me that, most assumed it was because I had a temper like a disaster.

I walked over to him and punched his arm, I handed him his coffee and took a sip of mine. "Thanks Reyna, who's the pastries for?" I held them away from him, "They're for Captain Hughes, you got coffee." He frowned but asked, "So, where are you off to today?" I smirked, "Ice Cream." He scoffed, "I should have known, when you get back I've got some news I think you'll like. But go," he gave me a push, "Go say hi to Hughes and get Ice Cream."

I sighed and waved goodbye to all of them and walked to Captain Hughes's office with Rogue following close behind.

When I knocked on the door I heard him call out, "Come in!" I opened the door and he looked up from his desk and gave me a big grin, "Inferno! Morning! Ooh! Are those donuts?" I nodded and tossed him the bag, he caught it and smelled deeply. "Ah, thank you Reyna. My wife was scolding me earlier for not getting breakfast before I left this morning, now I can call her and tell her you got me some. Oh! And my beautiful daughter, Elicia, wants to color with you again. She really loved it last time." His whole face just lit up with joy when he talked about his family, I smiled at him, "I would love to Hughes, it was really fun drawing with her."

He smiled at me, then he leaned back in his chair and asked, "Where to today?" As you can tell, my adventure addiction was well known in the army thanks to Roy and Hughes. "Ice cream in a city a few hours from Central." He sighed, "I wish I could go, well, I won't keep you any longer. Have fun Reyna!" I waved to him as I stepped out, "Thanks Hughes, you too. Try not to die of boredom!" "Easier said than done!" He yelled as the door closed.

I snickered and walked back outside, headed to the train station.


	4. Chapter 3

As the train started to pull out I ran alongside it, Rogue standing in the doorway, waiting for me to jump. Several people were staring at me with wide eyes, I heard someone scream as I leapt from the side, flipped sideways, and landed in the train compartment. A little girl laughed and clapped her hands in delight, I smiled at her and winked. I walked to a seat and sat down, stretching my long legs in front of me. I dozed off until the train started to slow and Rogue barked, waking me up and scaring the lady across from me. I smiled apologetically at her, I stood up and strode to the door, threw it open, scaring several people, and leapt out. I flipped in midair, hit the ground, shoulder rolled forward, leapt to my feet, and strode off, whistling.

I walked through the streets, trying to remember where the ice cream shop was when I came across a group of kids no older than me. There was a big group of boys picking on a young girl, they pulled her pigtails and jeered at her, she screamed at them to stop with tears streaming down her face. I looked at Rogue to see him bristling in anger and a fierce growl erupting from his mouth, they heard him and turned to look at us.

The biggest boy just laughed and continued to jeer at the girl, I couldn't hold back anymore. I rushed forward and threw a punch at him, I hit his jaw and he flew to the ground. The girl looked at me gratefully and ran off, I was now surrounded by boys who looked like wrestlers. Great. The boy I had punched pulled himself up, spitting at the ground. He looked at me and snarled, "You're going to regret that." I smirked arrogantly at him, "Not as much as you are going to regret being a jerk to that girl." He lunged at me and I kicked his ribs, then, when he double over, I dealt out an uppercut and broke his nose.

The other boys lunged at me over their fallen leader and I dodged out of the way, I kicked and punched anyone who got too close and Rogue was clawing and biting. I finally grabbed his collar and jerked him out from underneath a boy, then I threw him into the street and took off at a sprint. I felt blood on my cheek and the sting of a cut, perfect, one of them had a ring and it cut my cheek, right along the bone. Roy was going to love this.

I sprinted down an alley with the boys right behind me, I was told I couldn't use Alchemy but I think this was a bit of an emergency. I didn't want to put them in the hospital, which I was going to do if I kept fighting them. After all, Major Armstrong taught me how to fight. It was muscle memory now, all those grueling hours of training paid off and I could hold my own against the best, at least for a while. These boys would be a piece of cake, but I had already KO 3 of them, I didn't want to hurt them, so retreat it was.

I clapped my hands together and snapped my fingers, ice covered the alleyway behind me and rocks flew up in jagged formations. That should stall them, if not stop them. I looked over my shoulder and laughed, they were skating horribly and several fell into each other. Yep, that stopped them. Thank goodness.

I turned to look forward again to see a blond haired boy turning the corner, I couldn't stop in time and rammed into him. We both flew to the ground and I rolled a few feet before I was stopped by a giant metal suit of armor. He picked me up and then rushed to the boy I had rammed into, "Brother!" he yelled, "Are you alright?" The boy shook off his giant brother's assistance and stood up. He glared at me and yelled, "Watch where you're going jerk!" Okay, it was an accident tiny. "Well, I wouldn't have if I could've seen you!"

The reaction was instant, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK WHO CAN'T EVEN REACH THE DOORKNOB?!" He lunged at me and I backed up, "Whoa! I didn't say that!" He kicked at me and I ducked, dealing out a kick of my own and connecting with his legs. He hit the ground but leapt up quickly, throwing a right hook at me, I blocked his swing and jabbed his ribs. He kicked my stomach with a powerful blow and I flew back into a very solid person. I felt big hands clamp down on my shoulder and I shoved my elbow at the person grabbing me, I connected, but **it hurt my elbow**. I yelped in pain and heard a familiar chuckle behind me, "Relax young Reyna! It's me! Alex Louis Armstrong!"

I let out a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. You scared me Armstrong." He laughed heartily and I turned to face him, he gave me a broad smile and ruffled my hair. "What brings you here? I see you met the Elric brothers. What happened?" He gently touched my cheek and I winced, his expression changed instantly, "Don't worry Reyna! I'll heal you using the healing secret that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!" I paled and tried to run away, he had done a lot of 'healing' tricks to me when he trained me in combat. I didn't want him to 'heal' me.

But before I got far he grabbed me by my waist and yanked me back, "Help!" I cried to the suit of armor, if these were the Elric brother's, then the one in the armor must me Alphonse. The youngest brother, the brother who had the most taken from him. Just his soul graced the suit of armor. That also explains why the kick I received from Edward hurt so much, it was probably his automail leg.

The suit surged forward and Alex cried, "Never fear young Mustang! I'll heal you!" He carried me, though Alphonse was trying to get me out of his grip with Edward trailing behind, to a shop on the other side of the road and shoved me into a chair. He kneeled in front of me and grabbed my shoulder firmly, "Hold still Reyna, this may sting a little." He drew something from his pocket, a bag of herbs, and opened it. He drew a purplish thing out and crushed it between his fingers, he then put the crushed thing on my cheek. It stung like he had put a needle into my cheek and I cried out, breaking free from his grip to put my hand on my cheek.

I glared at him ruefully and he smiled apologetically at me, "Sorry Young Mustang, but it will help with the swelling. Why don't you tell me what happened?" Before I could say anything though, Edward blew up, "Wait a minute?! She's a Mustang?! Like, Colonel Mustang's sister?!" I nodded, "Problem?" I asked with a smirk, his mouth opened and closed his mouth like a fish and Alphonse quietly said, "We didn't know Colonel Mustang had a sister." I spread my arms, "Well, you just met her. Nice to meet you, my name is Reyna Mustang."

I stood up and held out my hand to both of them, Alphonse took it and shook it, Edward ruefully took it next. "Nice to meet you too!" Alphonse said cheerfully, "Right Ed?" Ed muttered something that I didn't catch and Armstrong smiled at me. I sighed and explained to him the situation, he smiled at me wider, "I'm proud of you Reyna, well done! Next time though, don't throw trashcans at them." Yeah, I told him instead of rocks, I assaulted them with trashcans I found in the alleyway. Funny way to attack someone isn't it?


	5. Announcement PLEASE READ!

Hey! Sapphire Tempest here! I don't know what is wrong but the fanfiction site is having issues and won't let me log in all the time, so I'm moving both my stories to Wattpad. The complete series. Just go to Wattpad and search for 'SapphireTempest1' so stupid with the name but apparently it need numbers and I couldn't have a space between Sapphire and Tempest. So woopee! But yeah, I've got more content for you guys! I'll still be able to see that at least through my email. But, I'm talking to much, go to Wattpad! Hopefully that won't bug out, and once is actually letting me work again, I'll start posting the story back here. I might even post the stories on both sites. Maybe I'll continue with just Wattpad, I don't know just yet. See you guys on Wattpad!

ST 


	6. Chapter 4

We all sat at the Ice Cream shop, Major Armstrong told us it would be his treat. So I ordered a double chocolate chip ice cream, two scoops, in a waffle cone. The best ever! Though I couldn't feel the coldness of it, the taste was still great. I just had to be careful, just because I couldn't feel it, I could still get frostbite.

While we ate, I got to know the Elric brothers. Both were polite, but Al was the nice one. He had less of a temper, Edward was hot-head. Not that I blame him, he went through quite a lot. But I felt as though I was becoming fast friends with both, Al certainly thought so. I didn't ask them about the taboo they performed, something that surprised Edward, though he didn't say anything. I didn't ask about Alphonse, and I talked to him as a teenage boy, something I KNOW he was surprised about.

We talked about other things, like traveling, or various people we had met. I itched to tell them about what had happened with MY taboo, but Major Armstrong was still here, so it would have to wait.

Edward surprised me by asking, "So, Reyna, do you know any Alchemy?" Major Armstrong answered for me instantly, "No, Colonel Mustang doesn't want her to learn. He doesn't want his sister to become a dog of the military, something he thinks will happen if she starts Alchemy at such a young age. His devotion to protect her is inspiring!" Tears started to stream down the big man's face in a waterfall, while he was blubbering I winked at Edward and put my finger to my lips. He got the message and said coolly, "Of course, understandable." Eventually we stood up and Edward said, "We're heading back to Central, would you like to come with us?" I nodded and stood up too, Rogue standing and running ahead of us.

Alphonse asked, "What's his name?" I could hear the smile in his voice, "Rogue, he's a wolf. Roy got him for me a few years ago." Al clapped and patted his knee, "Come here Rogue! Come here boy!" Rogue ran up to him and licked his cheek, Alphonse laughed and started playing with him as we walked to the train station.

Major Armstrong laughed heartily at the sight and Edward grabbed my arm, he was a bit shorter than me, but I was also tall for a girl. Also, I didn't want to make him mad again so I said nothing about him being a midget. "Do you know Alchemy?" He asked in a low voice, "Why do you want to know?" I asked back, he shrugged, "I'm just curious. I think that you do, I saw the alleyway, you didn't throw trashcans at those boys did you? You put spikes in their way." I nodded, "Yes, I have Alchemy. My specialty is Natural Disasters, the one I focused on in the alley was earthquakes. Hence the spikes." He nodded and I continued, "I have something to tell your brother and you, but I don't want Major Armstrong to hear us. I'll tell you once we're in Central and he goes back to his job."

He shot me a curious glance but kept his mouth shut.

When we got to the train station, the ticket inspector saw me and paled, muttering, "Oh no, not again." The other's got on the train and Edward waited for me to come on, instead, I waited outside until the train started to move. Rogue moved them out of the way and Ed yelled, "What are you doing?! Get on!" I grinned and started to run alongside the platform, Edward stared at me in confusion and then moved closer.

When I saw the platform edge getting closer I stepped to the side and launched myself at the train, I grabbed the bar on the top and swung inside. The same lady Rogue had scared from before clutched her heart and said, "Not again!" I laughed and threw myself into a seat, Major Armstrong sat next to me and the Elric's sat across from us. "Why….. Did you do that?" I snickered at Edward's expression as he asked me that, "Why not? A girl's got to do something to stop boredom doesn't she?" Alphonse laughed and Edward smirked at me, "Yes, but that doesn't mean throwing herself at a train and risking death." I laughed, "But, that's the best type of game! The ones where you know you might not be ok, they get your blood pumping, wake you up. I know I'll someday die, I'm not just going to wait around for Death to decide 'Oh, Reyna's lived her life very boringly, time to collect her!' No. Not me, I'm going to go down swinging, and if I die young because of that, so be it. Still preferable than waiting around doing things other girls my age do, like… Oh, I don't know, giggle at their crushes? I know not ALL of them do that, but still. You get my point."

Edward looked at me with a look of barely hidden respect, "Well, I guess we have something in common then." I grinned at him, "I guess we do." Major Armstrong clapped me on the back and said, "It's good to see your building comradery! True friendships can outlast empires!" He clapped me on the back again and nearly sent me tumbling to the ground, Rogue caught me though and flicked his tail at Major Armstrong.

When we got back to Central, Ed walked away quickly, Al and I jogging to catch up. Major Armstrong trailing behind. For such a short boy he could walk really fast.

I followed them to their hotel and as soon as we got inside their room Edward asked Major Armstrong to wait outside. He threw himself down on a couch and said, "Alright, tell us, why didn't you tell Major Armstrong you could use Alchemy? And where'd you learn it if Colonel Mustang won't let you?" I sat down in an armchair and sighed, "My brother already knows I have Alchemy, that's the problem."

Edward leaned forward and Alphonse sat down, Edward had, without a doubt, already told Al about our conversation. "What do you mean he already knows?" He asked, I sighed again, "He doesn't like the fact I have Alchemy, but he can't do anything about it. You see…." I swallowed thickly, "You see, I'm like you two. I committed the Taboo, I saw the Truth. And I paid for it." Edward's mouth fell open and Alphonse jerked in surprise, "You… you did?" I nodded, looking down. "But I didn't do it willingly, I was forced to. By these….. things, one called himself Envy, the other lady was Lust. They….. kidnapped a woman, shot her, and told me to bring her back. They forced me to commit it, I knew it was wrong, but it happened anyway."

So I told them, I told them about that night, about the woman who died because of me, what they told me, and what was taken from me.

When I was done, Alphonse thoughtfully said, "It took your sense of temperature? That's a weird thing to take, can you still get cold though?" I shook my head, "No, I can't feel the temperature, but I can still get burned or freeze to death, it just takes longer than anyone else. I can feel the weight of something, and I found a way to see temperature using Alchemy, but I can't…. feel the cold. I can't feel the bite of snow, or the gentle coolness of rain, or the chilly breeze in the fall, or the warm sun on my face. I know it's there because I can see it, I just can't feel it. And I miss feeling it, I can't even feel my Mother's warmth when she gives me a hug anymore. That's what I miss feeling the most, I can still get comfort from one, but I can't feel the warmth."

I looked down, choking a bit, I would NOT cry. They had given up so much more than me, "But, it isn't a leg or and arm, or even my body. I just got the sense taken away from me. Roy doesn't want anyone to know I can use Alchemy because he doesn't want to gain the attention of the Fuhrer, he doesn't want me to be a dog of the military. I wouldn't mind, but, what can you do?" Edward leaned forward and said, "Al and I, we're looking for a way to get our bodies back. You could help us out and get your sense of temperature back, you said you were bored, so, you could come with us and try to find something to restore our bodies."

I grinned, "I would love to Ed, I'll just have to talk to my brother about it. He'll hunt me down any other way." Edward stood up, "Alright! Let's go talk to him then!" He walked to the door and threw it open, he waltzed out with Alphonse and I running to catch up. When we did, Alphonse put his hand on my arm and said, "Even if you didn't lost something obvious, you shouldn't feel bad for missing it. We'll get it back, brother is close to finding out." I nodded, smiling gratefully at him, "Thanks Al."

He had such a gentle soul, I made a promise to myself and to them at the moment. We would find something to give us back what the Truth took from us.


	7. Chapter 5

When we got to the Roy's office he didn't seem too surprised about me being with the Elric's. He just entwined his fingers and leaned his head on them, "Well, seems as though you met Fullmetal. I assume you exchanged stories about the taboo?" Before I could answer Edward scowled and said, "Yeah, so what?" Roy looked at me steadily, "Well, it is ironic that you met up with them. Do you remember when I told you I had news for you?" I nodded, holding his gaze, "Well, I was going to suggest that you stick around Fullmetal. He's researching for something to get their bodies back, they travel around searching for it, so, since you want to travel and to restore your senses, you could go with them."

Both mine and Ed's mouths fell open and Alphonse stuttered, "We….. We were going… to ask…. That." Roy chuckled, "Well, it's a settled then. Just try not to kill my sister Fullmetal, am I clear?" He nodded numbly and Roy stood up, "Also, if you really need to, use your Alchemy. But only in times of distress, that's a direct order. Understood?" I smirked at him, "I thought you didn't want me to be a State Alchemist, therefore I don't have to listen to a word you say." He rolled his eyes and sat down again, "Are you so sure you won't be a State Alchemist? As a commanding officer I could appoint you one right now, we have Fullmetal as a fellow Alchemist, Alphonse as a witness, and myself as the judge." There was a hidden message in his words, and they all had an edge. It became clearer when he said 'Alchemy'. Oh no.

He looked down, a grimace on his face, "You're already supposed to take the test, apparently that little stunt you pulled earlier today was witnessed by a few people. I was ordered by the Fuhrer to send you to the testing chambers, since you seem to be so adept at it." My mouth fell open wider, "So, I'm your commanding officer, just like with Fullmetal. You're a State Alchemist, congrats. Don't get yourself killed." He was mad. I knew it. He HAD to be mad. He didn't want me to be a State Alchemist. "Report to the test chambers, just to make sure your adequate. Don't screw up." He turned back to his papers, I took that as my sign to leave and walked briskly out the door. I knew where the test chambers were, I knew how to get there.

I heard Alphonse and Ed running behind me and Edward asked, "What was THAT about?" I looked down, still walking fast, "He never wanted me to be a State Alchemist. Never. And it's already scheduled, it's already planned out. All because I messed up." Ed walked beside me and grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at him, "What do **you** want to do?" I looked down and muttered, "I want to be a State Alchemist." He nodded, "Then that's what you're going to do. Colonel Mustang can't do a damn thing about what you want to do, come on."

We walked to the test chambers together, but they had to stay behind when I walked in. "We'll see you back at the hotel! We've got to go to the Library!" Edward called to me, I waved to him and walked inside. The people who ushered me in said I was late, so instead of being in order, I was the last to be tested. And I just made it on time. They ushered me inside and I walked to the center of the room, people stared at me from all angles. I fidgeted.

The 'judge' I suppose you could call him, asked me, "Are you Reyna Mustang?" I nodded, "Yes sir." He narrowed his eyes at me, before he could say anything I heard a very calm and collected voice ask, "You are Colonel Roy Mustang's sister aren't you?" I turned to see who had spoken to see Fuhrer King Bradley. I fought my surprise and nodded, not breaking his steady gaze, "Yes sir, Colonel Mustang is my older brother. The Flame Alchemist." He nodded, "Then this should be interesting, I'm told your Alchemy is like Fullmetal's. Is that correct?" I counted to five before nodding, "It is sir."

A gasp echoed through the room and I scowled, the Fuhrer smiled at me fatherly and said, "Show us then, you will not need anything to draw the circle if it's true." I ground my teeth together, don't snap, Roy would stay calm, level headed.

Actually, you know what? I'm not Roy, I'm Reyna Mustang, I'm going to drop this whole 'Level headed' crap. I'm going to be myself, not Roy, not anymore. So I snarled, "You think I'd lie about that?" He just stared me down, giving me a silent challenge. I clapped my hands together and then snapped my fingers, an earthquake shook the room. I snapped my fingers again and the wind picked up, circling before I added water to the mix. The mini Hurricane blew across the room, picking up various things and getting people wet.

When the power died down, I never broke my gaze with the Fuhrer. He laughed, "Well done. I suppose that we should call you Disaster. The Disaster Alchemist. You passed, congratulations." He walked out of the room at a steady pace, he turned before he vanished through a door and said, "I'll see you at a later date, Disaster." That's what I was, a disaster.

People stared at me as I stalked out of the test chambers, someone handed me a watch and an Alchemist robe before I left and I walked quickly into the hall. He knew, he already knew I would pass. The Fuhrer knew and he already had a name for me. Perfect.

I tried to steady my heartbeat as I walked, swinging the robe over my shoulders, putting on the stupid white gloves, and shoving the watch into a pocket. This shouldn't happen, there should be a week at least before you get your affirmative. But no. Not with me. I got it instantly. By Fuhrer King Bradley himself, something was going on, and I think it was much more than anyone would like to believe.

The first thing I did was go back to my brother's office at the Eastern end of Central, when I stalked through the door I startled everyone there. Jean was the first to react and he cried, "What happened?! When did you become an Alchemist?! What the hell is going on!?" Then everyone else blew up, there was so much chatter in the air I could barely think. I was trying to answer their questions when I heard clapping, I turned to see my brother standing at the other end, clapping. "Well, looks like I have another young Alchemist to give me headaches, congrats. What's your name?"

I swallowed and shoved my words out strongly, with power and reason, but also with an edge as cold as ice, "Disaster. I'm the Disaster Alchemist. Thanks for the confidence beforehand. I trust **you** can explain to your commando as to why and when this happened." I turned on my heal and stalked to the door, "Wait, Reyna." He called out, I turned to look over my shoulder at him, he smiled slightly at me, but there was also an edge to it. "A few more things Reyna, there was an explosion, likely caused by Scar, exactly where you pointed us towards. Also, well done. You're an Alchemist now, I meant what I said earlier. Do me a favor and don't get yourself killed, you are a dog of the military now. You serve the people, there's danger in that."

I grinned wickedly at him, taking him by surprise slightly, I only used this expression on people I know I've beat or I know don't like me, "Well," My words were as sweet as honey, but as deadly as venom, "That's the fun, don't you think Colonel? Let us hope I don't get myself into too much trouble, just to follow your orders after all." I had followed his orders most of my life, it was always 'Reyna, do this' or 'Reyna, you can't do that'. He never let me stray too far from him at all times, he had barely let me learn how to fight, and though I could do it, he never let me do Alchemy. I get the whole 'brotherly instinct' thing, but Edward was right, he couldn't do a damn about what I wanted to do. And though he might be my commanding officer now, and my brother, he was going to have to fight for my will now.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "Very well, come into my office, let's discuss your **orders** in private." I smiled sickly at him and stalked into his office, he followed me and slammed the door shut. It was getting dark out now, where did the day go?

I leaned against the wall as Roy stalked to his desk, "You're obviously mad." I noted carelessly, he slammed his fist into the desk, "You're damn right I'm mad! I told you! I told you NOT to use your Alchemy in public places, and what do you do? You use it! And word gets to the Fuhrer that you can perform flawless Alchemy and suddenly you're a dog of the military!"

I set my jaw, "Well, I will have more flexibility in finding out how to restore my body's senses now won't I? I can finally stop hiding my Alchemy from the world, which is what you wanted me to do. Instead of being pleased with my ability, you locked it away! What did you expect me to do, keep it hidden forever?! Be bored out of my mind?! I'm not going to obey those orders Roy! I don't care if you're my brother, I can't hide who I am." He looked down, a dark look in his eyes and his mouth formed into an angry line. "Colonel Mustang." He muttered, I narrowed my eyes at him, "What?"

He looked up, "You will address me as Colonel Mustang, or just Mustang, Disaster. If you can't head my orders as your brother, than I won't be your brother. I'll be your commanding officer, unless, you can tell me how I can be your brother again?" Though his tone was angry and demanding, I caught the hint of uncertainty. I knew him better than anyone, he wanted me to say that he was my brother first, commanding officer second, but I wasn't going to give him that. I had bent over backwards before now, and when I became a State Alchemist at the age of 15, instead of doing what a normal brother would do and congratulating me without sarcasm, he shoved me down yet again.

If he didn't want to be my brother so be it, "Well then, **Colonel Mustang** , I need to meet with Fullmetal on our, what would you call it, a quest? So, if you'll excuse me, I'll try to heed your orders and not die, but, since you're only my commanding officer, I'm expendable. So, don't be too broken up about it if I do get hurt. Does that sound like a deal?" My tone was sickly sweet, laced with venom and sarcasm. I refused to show him that what he had just said cut like a sword, if he wanted to be like this, so be it. "Oh, and Colonel? I'll pick up my things before I go to the hotel, since it would be awkward if one of the Colonel's charges lived with him, don't you think? I'll need to say goodbye to my mother though too. I'll stay at the hotel." His face fell for a fraction of a second before resuming his scowl.

I walked to the door and reached for it, "I never expected you'd stay hidden forever, so I don't know why this surprised me. You never were able to keep secret's very long." Like him? Does he expect me to be exactly like him? Not anymore. I laughed haughtily, surprising him, "Don't you **wish** I couldn't keep secrets Colonel? 'Cause I've got a big one that you'll probably never know." I laughed again, the laugh was laced with malice, and stalked out. Ignoring his team's stares, and walked out of their office.


	8. Chapter 6

I walked to where Roy's apartment was, I put my key into the lock and turned it. Rogue padding along beside me, he had been depressed all the way here. But he was just as mad as Roy as I was, but I was depressed too. I had called my mother before coming here and told her everything, except for mine and Roy's argument. She'd just tell us to fix it, but you can't fix something that was completely destroyed.

I collected my things, hardly anything was at my mother's house, everything was here. So I packed it quickly, I didn't have too much, just clothes, boots, and books. So it all fit into my big messenger bag.

Once my room was bare I made the mistake of looking back at it, that's when I broke. I collapsed to the floor and cried, all my life I had looked up to my brother, done what he'd asked, everything, because I loved him. Then he tells me he's not my brother anymore, and it's my fault. It hurt, it stung, and it felt like I'd shoved a damn dagger into my heart.

Rogue sat next to me and offered comfort, which I gladly took, burying my face into his fur and sobbing. Eventually I calmed down and dried my tears, I had to hurry and get out of here, before Roy returned home. I looked out the window to see it was a fierce storm outside, it was either natural, or it was me. I hoped for the former, but the latter had happened before.

I took the key to this apartment out of my pocket, I stared at it before standing up, walking to the kitchen table, and setting it down in plain view. I didn't want to keep something that would only remind me of pain, that would be stupid, and I didn't want to cry over it again. I turned all the lights off again and stepped out of the apartment, I heard Roy's quick footsteps coming towards us so I ducked around a corner, not really wanting to talk to him yet.

He opened the door quickly and in the way that someone who wants to find something quickly does, he barreled through the door, leaving it wide open, and ran through his apartment. I started to sneak past when I heard him shout, "Dammit! She's gone! Dammit!" Then the sound of him hitting something, "And she left her key! I'm such an idiot." Yes you are, dwell on that for a while Roy.

I ran down the flights of stairs and out into the street, in a matter of seconds I was soaked. Rogue looked like a drowned rat and I would've laughed if I didn't feel terrible, instead, I ran to the hotel where the Elric's were staying.

After booking myself a room next to theirs I ran up the stairs, greeted their new 'guard dogs' since apparently Major Armstrong had to leave but they didn't want the Elric's unsupervised, and knocked on the door. Alphonse opened it and brought me in quickly, I shed my wet Alchemist robe and threw myself into a chair. Edward looked at me with a smug expression, "So, you're an Alchemist now?" I nodded, he grinned, "I bet your brother was happy about that." I gripped the armchair so hard my knuckles turned white, thunder boomed outside, "I don't have a brother, not anymore."

What happened next was chaos, Edward leapt up and demanded to know what happened, when I told them, Alphonse actually had to sit on him to prevent him from going and punching Roy. "Alphonse! Get off!" He shrieked, "I going to punch Mustang!" Alphonse desperately tried to get him to stop and yelled back, "Stop it Ed! You can't go punch the Colonel!" Edward stopped struggling and snapped, "And why not?!" Alphonse seemed to be at a loss for words so I spoke up, "Because, it isn't worth it. It won't change his decision. You've met with my Mustang more than once, you know that once he's made a decision he sticks with it. He won't change his mind, and he won't apologize either, his pride is too big for that. No, he'll simmer for a while and ignore me, eventually he'll start talking to me again. Just let it go for now."

Edward stopped and Alphonse slowly got off of him, I leaned back wearily, "In the meantime, what do you two have so far?" Edward sighed and started to explain about the Philosophers stone, a powerful stone that could heighten Alchemic power. They learned about the location where we might find clues because of a man named Dr. Marco, who had written down the ingrediants, it was supposed to be in the Library they went to earlier, but the library was destroyed. Luckily though, they found a girl who had memorized every book in that library and she was able to tell them that she could get the notes for them. If we got the stone, then Ed could use it to restore our bodies. Ed also added that the girl, Shesca, was a bit cuckoo so he didn't know if the notes would be accurate. Apparently she had a memory that could combat Vato's; the only thing that we could do now was wait for Shesca to finish the notes.


	9. Chapter 7

We waited for five days, not really doing much, just hanging around the hotel and playing cards. Ed was already fed up with his 'useless' bodyguards following us everywhere when we had nothing to do but try and lose them; so when he was contacted by Shesca, he literally jumped into the air with joy.

We all piled into the car and drove quickly to where Shesca's lodgings were, we ran up the stairs, followed by the confused bodyguards, who had been assigned to watch me too now. I felt a bit bad for them, but, like Ed, it grew tiring being followed everywhere.

When we knocked on the door, we were greeted by a very chipper woman who shook my hand enthusiastically while saying, "I've heard of you! You're the Disaster Alchemist aren't you? News travels fast in East Central, come inside!" She talked EXTREMLY fast and a bit like Major Armstrong, that is to say, with an overly dramatic voice. She led us to a table and spread her hands, "Here they are! Sorry it took 5 days, but there was a lot of them!" I pointed to the huge piles of notes, "Hang on, you wrote this?" She nodded and Alphonse exclaimed, "There sure are some amazing people in this world!" While Ed picked up a few notes, "These are really Dr. Marco's notes?" He asked.

Shesca nodded eagerly, "They sure are! Come, take a look at them!" She told Al and I. She held up a few and continued, "These are by Tim Marco, 1000 easy recipes!" My mouth fell open, we were sent to find a cookbook?! One of the guards, the female, I think her name was Lieutenant Maria Ross, her companion was named Denny Brosh, picked up a book and read off the ingredients, "We come this far for a cookbook?" She asked. Denny held up another to Shesca, "Miss? What part of this made you think it was an important document?"

Shesca looked horrified and asked, "Is it not what you're looking for? All I did was copy down what I remember." Denny grabbed his head, "Wonderful! So this was just a wild goose chase?" Shesca looked down and I glared at Denny, "Brosh! You never know what might be important!" I angrily snapped. Before he could respond Edward asked quietly, "Shesca, are you absolutely sure this is a flawless reproduction of the notes?"

Shesca stepped forward eagerly, "Oh yes! I'm 100% certain!" Ed turned around with a triumphant smirk on his face, I looked at him curiously as he held up one and said, "Then thank you very much, you're incredible!" Then he looked at Al and I, "Alright! Let's get this back to the Library!" My mouth fell open and I exchanged a look with Al, but we both picked up a stack and started to follow Ed. Al handed a stack to Brosh and picked up another, "They should have related materials there." "Thank you Shesca." I told her as I passed.

Before Ed left though, he stopped and said, "Oh, I almost forgot Shesca's payment." He pulled out a book and his pocket watch, wrote something down, and handed it to Ross. "Lieutenant, here, this is my registration number and my pocket watch for ID. Withdraw that amount from my annual research grant and make sure Shesca gets it." I gave her mine too and told her the same. "Right, I'll get on that right away Sir, Ma'am. I assume I can just take this down to the State Alchemist office?" I nodded, "That should do it!" I said cheerfully.

Ed turned at the door and looked back in, "Well, Shesca you're a life saver. Bye!" While we walked away Rogue pricked his ears up as we heard Shesca shout, "WOW! DID THEY MISS A DECIMAL POINT SOMEWHERE?!" Then Ross shout, "HOW DO KIDS LIKE THAT HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY TO THROW AROUND?!" I smirked, glad for good hearing. Though, I'm sure the street over heard that. Edward had told me that Shesca mother needed a better hospital, if the amount that we gave her didn't do it, then she needs to go to a different country entirely.

When we got to the library, we started to look at the notes, I was getting to what Ed was thinking now. But Brosh was clueless, "I don't understand, these are cookbooks! What could they possibly have to do with Alchemy?" I leaned on my elbows, "Alchemy is a powerful thing, it could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands." I said thoughtfully. Edward nodded as he read one and he continued, "In order to prevent that, a chemic research is always encrypted." I grinned and said, "These are designed to look like recipes to the average eye, but they're actually advanced Alchemic notes." Edward looked at his notes again and picked up where I stopped, "Only the Alchemist who wrote them can understand."

Brosh still looked confused, "If they're so heavily encrypted, than how are you going to be able to decipher them?" Ed frowned, muttering, "It's not going to be easy, we're going to have to use all our Alchemical knowledge." I nodded, Brosh rubbed his head, "Wow Sir, Ma'am, that's sounds really complicated." While he was talking, Ed gasped and looked at the notes he had in his hand harder. He looked up at Al and I, "Al, Reyna, there's a section in here on Green Tea!" I stood up straighter, "Really?" I twisted my neck to look at the notes he had in his hands.

Al turned around, "Green tea? Are you thinking what I am?" Ed smirked and replied, "Yep, it might be a reference to the Green Lion of Metallurgic Alchemy. Do we have copies available of Flamel's codex or Lanspring's concerning the Philosophers stone?" Al set a pile of books he was holding between Ed and I, "Of course!" Ed and I grinned at each other, "Alright! Take a look at this here!" He held the notes out to us and we both bent down to see what he was showing us. "And here too!" I was reading the recipes, piecing everything together. Al and I said in unison, "Yeah you're right!" I pointed, "And maybe there too!"

Edward grinned at us, "Great! We have a place to start! Let's do this!"


	10. Chapter 8

I groaned and smacked my head against the table, copying the pose of my companions. "Why does this encryption have to be so damn hard to figure out?" Edward moaned, Alphonse whimpered, his helmet piercing a piece of paper. "Brother? Maybe we should ask Dr. Marco about this directly." Ed sat up, "No way! That would be admitting defeat!" I sighed and looked at him from my position, "So this is a contest between you two now?" I asked tiredly.

Before Ed could answer, we heard a small voice ask, "Excuse me?" We looked up to the doorway, Shesca was there. "Shesca?" Ed asked in surprise.

She smiled at Edward and I once Brosh left, "Thanks to the money you and Reyna gave me Edward, I was able to move my mother to a better hospital." She bowed, "I really appreciate it." Ed waved his hand dismissively, "Na, it was no big deal." I nodded in agreement, she looked up and smiled kindly at us, "Have you had any luck deciphering it so far?" Just like that, our black cloud of misery was back. I smashed my head against the table again and Ed scowled.

Alphonse looked up at her and asked, "Have you found another job yet?" Now the black cloud moved over her, but she looked up again, "Anyway, thank you three for helping me. It was nice to know that even a pathetic mess like me can help out sometimes." She bowed again, "So thanks for that as well." Alphonse was the first to speak, "You're not a pathetic mess," She gasped in surprise as he continued, "I think that the kind of dedication you show in reading is a talent all on its own." She looked at him in surprise, "And besides that your memory is incredible! You should have more faith in yourself!" I was surprised by the conviction in his words.

Shesca smiled at him, "Thank you Al!" She said cheerfully. Before we could say anything else, the door smashed open and Lieutenant Colonel Hughes stepped through the door. We looked at him in surprise, "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." Edward said in surprise, "Major Armstrong told me you three were here." Hughes said seriously, then he slammed his hand on the desk, making all of us jump, "What gives Ed? I told you to give me a shout the next time you made it to Central!" He continued cheerfully. How could he do that?! I had wondered that most my life, he was bi-polar or something!

Ed grabbed his head and stuttered, "Oh uh, something urgent came up, sorry." Hughes stood up, "It's just swell, I understand." He turned to me, "So, you're an Alchemist now huh? You should've told me! Well done Reyna! I'm proud of you! And now you're running with Fullmetal?" He laughed and continued his conversation with Ed, his praise rang in my ears.

Hughes wasn't like Roy, he actually paid attention to my accomplishments, Roy didn't. I had hoped my fight with Roy wouldn't damage my relationship with Hughes, and it looks like it didn't.

After he and Ed got small talk out of the way, Hughes sighed and said, "We've had a lot of cases to deal with lately, we're still working on getting the Tucker/Chimera situation settled." I had heard about that, Ed had told me his previous adventures yesterday to pass the time. That poor girl…

Hughes stopped midsentence, "Sorry, I guess that brings up some unpleasant memories huh?" Ed was looking down in guilt, Hughes pulled up a chair, "Anyway, as if things weren't bad enough already, the first branch had to burn down in the middle of all of this." I exchanged a look with Ed, "It's been a problem then?" Ed asked, Hughes waved his hand, "A big one! All our records were stored and stacked in that location! Trying to work without them hasn't been a picnic, let me tell ya." A light bulb when off on all of our heads and we exchanged a look, Hughes noticed and asked, "What?" We all looked at Shesca, she gasped as she caught on.

Ed stood up, "Hey Lieutenant Colonel! I think I've got exactly the person you guys are looking for!" Shesca looked away thoughtfully, "Well I have read the Military's case records, I think I still remember them all." Hughes stood up in determination, "That's all I needed to hear Lady, You're hired! My office pays well so don't worry!" Shesca gasped in surprise, "You're saying you want me?" She turned to us with a big smile on her face, "Thanks so much! I'll have faith! Just like you told me to! Thank you!" Hughes grabbed her shirt and started to drag her out of the room, "Come on now! Right to work!" He said cheerfully as he dragged her out.

Ed smirked with a pen in his mouth, "She may not be thanking us for long." Alphonse and I snickered, "Hughes is a slave driver!" I agreed. Then the black cloud came back and Edward muttered, "How did you put it Al? That Dedication is a talent all its own? Very smooth little brother, very smooth." Alphonse leaned on his hand, "Well, it's something I was think when I see a certain someone I know." The pen flew through the air and Edward caught it, "In that case a certain someone should get back to work, or you're going to have to come up with another motivational phrase!" His mood was infectious and we all got back to work even harder than before.

Several times Ed would scare Al and I by jumping up and screaming in frustration, Ed and I both fell asleep several times while Al kept going. After days of rewriting everything into the proper form we had books piling higher than Al was tall stacked on the table. After 10 days we finally saw what we were looking for, and it horrified me.

Edward flipped the table over in his rage and screamed, "To hell with it!" Our work was scattered everywhere when we sat on the floor, Maria and Denny peaked in cautiously, probably expecting to see us throw knives at them or something.

Denny walked in and cried, "What did you guys do to this place?!" Maria nodded and added, "Don't get angry 'cause you can't crack it, throwing things won't help!" "We did crack it." Alphonse muttered quietly, they gasped, I nodded, "We cracked the code and decrypted the notes." I spat, Denny smiled at us, "Really you did? But's that a good thing isn't it?" Ed slammed his fist into the ground, "There's nothing good about this Dammit! This is the devil's research, it should have been destroyed." I agreed with him, why would anyone do this?! "Dr. Marco was right, it's evil." He said while grabbing his head.

Denny cautiously asked, "What's so evil about it?" I locked my jaw and spoke, "The main ingredient for a Philosophers stone, is human life." They both gasped, I felt sick. "To make even a single stone you have to make multiple human sacrifices." I continued, my voice raw. Denny looked horrified, "How could the military authorize research into something so horrible?!" He cried in shock, Maria gagged, "I can't believe it! How awful!"

Ed quietly said, "Do us a favor, don't speak to anyone about this." Denny kneeled down to our level, "But Sir!" He cried, "Please." I begged him, "Just pretend you never heard any of it." They both gasped again in surprise. But promised us they wouldn't. Who would be this insane to even try to make this?


	11. Chapter 9

Back at the hotel, we were sulking in their room, I was even sleeping on the couch here. I didn't want to be alone with just Rogue to talk to, we hadn't gone outside to eat at all, and we barely slept. Ed and I didn't want to talk to anyone, Al and Rogue tried to get us to say more than a few sentences in days but failed.

That's where we were now, I was lying on the floor, Ed was on the couch, Rogue was near the window, and Al was sitting with his back to the couch. "Brother, Reyna. You should really get something to eat." I shook my head, not having any appetite whatsoever and Ed said, "No thanks." After a few seconds he spoke up again, "Pretty awful huh?" Al and I nodded in agreement. He reached his hand up to the fan, "After a while, I try to find the truth but it always slips away." He said depressingly. "Now that we finally caught it, turns out the truth is too dangerous to hold."

I sighed, "We're just full of sunshine aren't we?" I asked sarcastically. Edward grinned dryly, "I'm starting to think this is God's special way of torturing people who committed Taboo's. And I wonder, if it will be like this all our lives." He paused, "You know Al, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while. I guess I've been too afraid to say it." Al turned around in surprise, "What?" He asked. Before Ed could answer, a loud knock on the door made us all jump.

We heard the booming voice of Major Armstrong shout, "Elric brother's, Reyna Mustang, I know you're in there! Open up! This is the Major!" I sat up with Ed and Al, "What do we do?" I asked, Ed sighed, "We ignore it that's what." But the door smashed open and the Major stepped in followed by a scared Maria Ross and Denny Brosh. "I know what it said Elric's, Mustang." His expression was so serious Ed, Al, and I screamed. Rogue stared at us strangely.

Then the Major started crying, "It's so tragic that the legend of the Philosophers stone is built with such a terrible secret." Edward and I glared at Ross and Brosh, "We…. We're really sorry." Maria said in defense, Denny nodded, "It's really hard to stay quiet when someone like him asks you." "Imagine the military being behind something like that! The truth is more truth than we bargained for." The Major continued.

We leapt up with Ed, "The truth." He muttered, "What is it brother?" Al asked him. I wanted to know too, Edward continued, "Do you remember what Dr. Marco said at the station? 'Maybe you'll find the truth within the truth'. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about then, but now I get it. It's the same with Alchemic notes, what you can see on the surface is only a portion of the truth. There's still more to find here. There has to be."

The Major slid a map onto the table in between the couches, "Currently there are four operationally laboratories in Central that are there for the government. Narrow it down even further, Marco worked in the third laboratory. We should start with that one, it's the most suspicious." Edward looked at the map thoughtfully, "Al and I have been to all the laboratories in the city for remarkable research," He gasped and tapped the fifth laboratory that was marked out, "Here. What's this building used for?" Maria explained, "It was designed for the 5th laboratory, but it isn't currently in use. The building isn't structurally sound so it's been classified off limits."

Ed looked down, "It's there." Denny peered over his shoulder, "Huh? How can you be so sure that's it?" Ed pointed, "There's a prison right next door." Denny was confused, but I got it, "You don't think….." Ed nodded, "That's exactly what I think." Denny looked between us, "What?" Edward grimaced, "What was the main ingredient for a Philosophers Stone?" Denny stood up thoughtfully, "You said it need live humans-" He gasped, "There were plenty of condemned criminals there, officially they would be recorded as executed." Maria looked at Ed's words, "They used the prisoners to make the stone."

Major Armstrong stared us down and Ed held up his hands, "Don't look at us like that, I don't like talking about this anymore than you do." Alphonse said, "Some other jurisdictions could be used too, I wonder if the government was involved." Maria and Denny both looked faint, "Why do I get the feeling we're getting involved in something really dangerous here?" Maria asked, Alphonse cried angrily, "That's why we told you to pretend like you'd never heard anything!"

Major Armstrong grabbed the map and stood up, "This has the potential to become a political nightmare before long, I'll look into what we've talked about. In the meantime," He looked at Maria and Denny, "Officers speak to no one about this." They saluted, "Sir!" They said in unison. Then he turned back to us, "And you Elric brothers and Mustang behave yourselves!" We shouted and he growled at us, "I know you three! You were thinking of sneaking to this building and taking a look around weren't you?! Admit it!" We all held up are hands and cried, "We weren't! We weren't! We weren't! We promise!" In unison.


	12. Chapter 10

Later that night we were running through darkened alleyways, Edward chuckled, "Yeah, sure we weren't."

We had snuck away from our bodyguards to go to the fifth lab, since I didn't want my dog getting hurt, I dropped by my mother's business and asked her to keep him for a while. She agreed and Rogue stayed behind sulkily.

We made it to the 5th lab, we peeked around a corner to see a guard on the gate, "Hmm, a guard posted at an unused building." Edward mused.

I nodded, "That is suspicious. Do you think he's just standing around, taking a smoke break?" Ed shot me a low look and I grinned at him.

We backed away from the corner and Alphonse asked, "How do we get in?"

Edward grinned and replied, "We could make our own entrance."

Al shook his head, "They'd notice the light from the transmuted reaction."

I sighed, "There has to be some other type of entrance, like a window or a vent. Something we could use to get inside quietly!"

Ed looked up and grinned at Al, oh great.

Al threw Ed up to the top of the cement wall, then me. At the top, we unraveled the barbed wire and lowered it down for Al to climb up, then we leapt off the other side. We ran as quietly as we could to the building; we came across a doorway blocked with more barbed wire and wooden boards.

"They're not taking any chances are they? Not like anyone could break into an 'abandoned building' anyway." I said dryly.

Ed thought carefully for a moment before walking over to a vent. "There." He said, pointing. The entrance was small, Ed and I would barely managed to fit into it, but Al wouldn't be able to.

Al boosted me up and I removed the wire block, then climbed inside. Al picked Ed up next and Ed said, "Al, you need to wait here."

Al asked, "You two are fine on your own?"

Ed sighed and I moved further in, "Whether we're fine or not isn't the issue, you're too big to fit."

We began to crawl further and I heard Alphonse whimper dejectedly, "It's not like I asked to get this big." I snickered and kept crawling.

Behind me I heard Edward curse, "Damn, it's even tighter than I thought. We couldn't get through this part if it was regularly sized, lucky we've got small bodies."

I froze, a laugh bubbling up my throat. I forced myself to be quiet, though not before letting out a snicker.

Ed seemed to realize his mistake too because he yelled in agony, "OH NO! I just called myself a tiny little pipsqueak!"

I laughed and he growled, "Shut up! You're small too!"

I laughed again, "Yeah, your point? I'm a girl! I'm not the one who's supposed to be taller than 4'0, or have broad shoulders and tons of upper body strength that makes you look like a guy instead of a child."

He grumbled, "Just keep going."

When I found a hole, I turned over and kicked the cover away, then dropped into the room. Everything echoed in the dusty old hallway, I walked forward so Ed could drop down too. As soon as he did he looked around suspiciously, "There are lights on." He mused.

I nodded, "Thank you captain obvious."

He scowled at me, "Not currently in use, who are they trying to fool?" I opened my mouth to respond and he glared at me, "Don't."

I huffed and shrugged. "This is it all right." He continued. We began to walk down the hall.

We walked into a huge room with a circle in the center, it appeared to be a transmutation circle, just a lot bigger than I've ever seen it before. "So this is what it is."

Edward turned to me, "I bet this is what they use to transmute a philosophers stone."

A voice on the other of the room spoke, "Yes, that's right."

Ed and I turned towards it, "I don't know who you are kids, but you sure figured out a lot by just looking at a transmutation circle."

I frowned, "We're just good like that. Who are you?"

"The one in charge of guarding this place from curious brats." The figure walked into the light, it was a man clad all in armor. "But let's just say my name is number 48."

"My orders are to get rid of any…. Mutts that get inside. Try not to take offense." He continued carelessly.

Ed and I looked at each and alchemy crackled from out fingertips. Ed's arm turned into a sword, and I transmuted a staff from the ground.

"All right then, try not to get offended when these mutts kick your ass." I sneered at him.

The metal man tilted his head, then rushed at us. "Alchemists, are you? This should be fun then."

FMB

He swung at Ed, and I blocked it with my staff, but his sword just cut through it like butter.

Ed swung his arm up and the sword was stopped.

48 backhanded me, sending me flying into a pillar as he chortled. "My my, what's this? A prosthetic arm? No matter, my sword can cut through anything. Steel or flesh…"

I stood up with a groan, "Well, aren't you cheery?" I asked sarcastically as Ed stabbed him.

48 didn't flinch though, and Ed and I exchanged a look. I leaned against the pillar, "Interesting. Hey, Ed, where have we seen something like that before?" I called over to him.

Ed grinned, "I'm gonna guess that you're hollow inside. I could tell by the sound."

"And the fact that he stabbed you and nothing happened." I pointed out.

"We spar against someone like you." Ed continued.

48 sounded curious, "So, there are people like me on the outside as well? Interesting."

Ed grinned darkly, "Yeah, and it makes me sick to know there's more than one idiot out there who had the bright idea to bond a soul to a suit of armor."

I smirked at him, "The world is full of idiots though, Ed. Don't you know?"

"Perhaps I should introduce myself again. Back before I got my number, which was given to me on death row, I was better known as Slicer. I was a mass murderer, you see."

I stood up straighter, "So what, you were due for a hangman's noose?"

"Tell us something then, are they using condemned prisoners to make philosophers stones?" Ed asked.

"I don't know. All that I know is I was placed here on guard duty once they saw my potential." Slicer answered.

I tilted my head, "Then you must have a blood seal."

He raised his hand to take of the handkerchief on his mouth, "Yes. I have a blood seal." He lifted his face, "This is it right here. If you destroy that, you win."

I smirked, "Interesting that you show us how to kill you."

Slicer shrugged, "I like to give myself a challenge every once and while."

I looked at Ed and he grinned, "As long as you're in such a giving mood, than how about you just let us go?"

"Nice try, but what kind of mass murderer would I be if I just let my victims go? Now, let's fight. You," He pointed his sword at me, "Will just have to wait your turn to get killed. Once I'm finished with him, I'll slice you up."

I glowered and held out my hands. Twin black daggers appeared in them and I snarled, "I don't think so, pal. Both of us are fighting you. I'm not just gonna sit around and wait like some damsel in distress."

Ed smirked at me, "You kind of sound distressed now."

I glared at him, "I could just let him slice you up you know. Then again, I don't think Al would forgive me if I did."

He shrugged, "Good point."

Then Slicer swung at Ed shouting, "Then both of you shall die!"

Ed ducked out of the way and shouted at me, "Get around him! Check out the rest of the lab! I'll stay here and distract him! Go!"

I growled, but began to run. "Don't die!"

"You either!" Came the shout back as I turned the corner to the doorway.

I ran down different halls, looking for anything useful. But before I could get very far, a hand shot out from around a corner and grabbed my neck.

I shot lightning at whoever held me up, but it didn't do anything.

Then a chuckle I recognized sent chills up my spine as I gasped for air.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you found us before we could find you. So charitable of you." The voice sneered.

The figure stepped out from around the corner, and he wasn't alone.

The female purred at me, and stroked the side of my face. "Pity, I wanted to play and seek with you. Ah well. I suppose it's more fun this way, hmm?"


	13. Chapter 11

I struggled in Envy's hold, trying to work up enough brain power to try and zap him again.

He chuckled cruely and tightened his hand, cutting off even more air and bruising my throat. "Aw, look at that." He sneered, "Little Mustang's trying to bite. So cute."

Lust ran her fingers through my hair, tugging on it slightly, before sending a grin to Envy. "Envy, darling, don't kill her. Remember, she can't die yet."

Envy gave a dramatic sigh, before dropping me to the ground while saying, "Fine, fine. I get it. But that doesn't mean we can't hurt her."

I gasped for air, my bruised throat screaming in pain. But before I could recover, Envy's foot slammed into my ribcage. I felt a few ribs crack and crumpled to the ground, heaving.

Envy crouched in front of me, grabbing a handful of my hair and roughly jerking my head up, "Pathetic. I remember you having a lot more kick when you were younger. Don't tell me you've lost that fire." He sneered at me.

In response, I spat at him.

He jerked back, angrily throwing my away from him while he wiped his face off.

I staggered into a upright position, leaning against the wall and glaring at both of them. My thoughts raced. What were they doing here? Why aren't they allowed to kill me?

Lust just laughed at Envy, then turned her seductive glance to me. She stepped forward towards me, then bent down. She patted my cheek condescendingly, and I jerked away from her with disgust, before sending an icy shockwave towards them. It threw them off for a moment, and that was all I needed.

I lurched upwards and took off at a run towards where I knew Ed had been.

I heard both of them shout in outrage as I rushed away, and I could hear them following me.

They were _fast_ so I had to get to Ed quickly. I had to get him out of here. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing in this damn place made sense anyway. We could come back or something! We just needed to get out and away!

I skidded around a corner, my instincts screaming at me, so I dropped to the floor as some sort of knife like weapon hit the wall behind where I had been.

I lurched upwards again, throwing an earthquake behind me, and heard one of them hit the wall.

I flung myself around a corner, only to run straight into Envy's waiting arms.

He caged me in, pinning me to his body and lifting me off the ground.

"Ha! Take that you little brat!" He cheered.

Lust breezed past us both, going into the room that was only steps away from where I was.

I heard her do something, say something, then Envy walked into the room behind her, still trapping me against him.

I knew who was in that room, so I struggled harder as Edward came into view.

He looked up at us in surprise as the body of 48 ran around, shouting, "Brother!" Over and over again.

Wait. There was two of them?

Ed looked at us and snarled, "Who are you?! Let her go!"

Envy chuckled, dropping me only to catch me around the neck again, suspending me in midair and choking off my air supply.

"What? This little brat? Huh, would you look at that. Little pipsqueak not only found this place, but he also found himself a little friend! How cute!" Envy chortled.

Lust just gave Ed a look before drawling, "Such a troublesome pair you make. How did you manage to find this place?"

The suit of armor hadn't shut up, so Lust had started to stab him with the suit's own sword.

Envy just sighed, "Shut up you pathetic idiot!" He shouted at it as it cried for its brother, "You almost killed an important sacrifice. You hear me?! You could have messed up the entire plan! What would we have done then, huh!?" I choked painfully, and with another sigh, Envy loosened his grip slightly, allowing me room to breath.

Ed snarled at him, "I said let her go! Tell me who the hell you people are! What do you mean 'sacrifice'? What plan?!" I was wondering that as well.

Envy laughed, "Oh! The pipsqueak is raring to go! I think I made it angry!"

I tried to kick at him weakly, but he just squeezed his hand threateningly.

"Don't call me pipsqueak! And let her go!" Ed shouted.

Envy gave a dramatic sigh as Ed started running forward, injured but ready to fight, "Then what you prefer to be called? Eh, pipsqueak?"

Envy effortlessly dodged Ed's attack, swinging me around in front of him. He put his face beside mine, tilting my head and grinned against my neck.

"Careful pipsqueak. Attacking can get someone hurt you know." Envy sang mockingly, his breath tickling my ear.

Edward seemed to get angrier, "This is a fight that you started! So unless you're too big of a coward, drop her and fight me!"

Envy just laughed, continuing to dodge Ed's attacks, "Oh, I don't think I will. She's quite pretty, don't you think?"

Ed swung again in rage, trying to avoid hitting me, but Envy just held up an arm and Ed's automail hit it, shattering on impact.

"Technical difficulties." Lust purred.

Envy grinned against my neck, "Lucky me!"

Envy tossed me to Lust, who caught me effortlessly, and I was still reeling from the sudden rush of oxygen that I couldn't do much more than slump into Lust's arms.

Envy sucker punched Ed in the stomach, and he groaned before falling to the ground.

Envy and Lust both stared at us, and my vision was starting to turn black around the edges. But I heard Lust purr to both of us, "Listen, both of you. Don't forget this. Always remember that we let you live."

Then my vision failed me, and I saw no more.


	14. Chapter 12

When I awoke, I was lying in a hospital bed. I was groggy, and pain radiated from my body, but I was alive.

I froze, eyes flying open and looking around in a panic. Where was Ed? Was he okay? Where exactly was I?

As I lurched upwards, a comforting hand pushed against my shoulder, and a voice rang out beside me.

"Easy. Easy, Reyna. Easy. Ed's fine, if that's what's gotten you so huffy about. Take it easy."

I knew that voice.

I turned and found the smiling face of Hughes beside me. His hand was on my shoulder, and he looked happy to me.

"Hughes?" I asked breathlessly.

That's when I felt the cloth wrapped around my neck.

I lifted my hand, feeling my neck tentatively. It was wrapped all the way around, and it hurt. I felt like I had swallowed sandpaper.

Hughes, seeing that I wasn't going to try to leap out of bed, sighed in relief and turned his body slightly in the chair he was in. He picked up a glass of water with a straw in it from the nightstand and held it up to me.

I reached for it with shaky hands, but Hughes gently batted them away. "Just, let me help you, okay?" He asked gently, a fatherly gaze shining in his eyes.

With a small sigh, it hurt even to do that, I nodded, and allowed him to hold the water up to me.

I drank slowly, and Hughes began to talk.

"Honestly kid, I thought the only one who could scare me that badly was your brother, or my wife, or my darling little daughter. But damn, you can't do anything by halves, can you? Is it just a Mustang trait or something?"

I was finished completely with the glass of water by the time he was done speaking, so I just gave him a sarcastic smirk. My throat felt better, but it still probably wasn't okay to talk too much right now.

Ah, what did I care about self-preservation?

"Sorry, Hughes." I muttered softly with a small, apologetic smile.

Hughes sighed, running a hand through his short hair, before he smiled back at me kindly. "You know, I really need to do something about that lack of being able to stay mad at Mustang's." He said thoughtfully.

Then he leaned forward, putting a strong, reassuring hand on my shoulder, "Just try not to scare me that badly in the future, okay? You're giving a man gray hairs just thinking about it!" He chided softly.

I smiled at him, "Thanks for being here." I kept my voice low and soft, so I didn't irritate my aching throat worse.

Hughes just patted my shoulder, before leaning back. "Roy was here for a bit too. But he didn't stay long. Said something about work. Honestly, couldn't pull that man away from his work with a crane in my opinion!" Hughes joked cheerfully.

The knowledge that my brother had been here, but he hadn't bothered to stay long enough to see me wake up, had me torn between wanting to smile and wanting to cry.

When I didn't say anything, Hughes pinned me with an intelligent look that made him appear as if he was dissecting my every move. "You two had a fight. Didn't you? Roy was tenser than usual. And he wasn't himself. I know he would have stayed until you woke up in the past, but he didn't even stay five minutes. What happened? And don't lie to me. I know you too well." The seriousness in his tone reminded me that Hughes wasn't always a cheerful, happy go lucky guy. He was a man who had seen wars, was incredibly intelligent, and had kept my brother alive for a long time.

I sighed, hanging my head, refusing to let the tears fall. "Yes. We….. We had a fight." I conceded. My fingers danced along my ribcage, noting that my ribs were bound as well.

When Hughes didn't say anything, I continued, and told him about the fight that Roy and I had had.

When I was finished, I waited for him to tell me that I should try to see things from Roy's point of view. Instead, he just sighed and ran his fingers through my hair comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, Reyna. I know you're brother isn't the best person in the world to get along with. And you've known him longer than me. I can understand where he's coming from, I feel protective of you too, but that doesn't mean I agree with his methods." Hughes said softly, before pulling me towards him.

He had gotten up on the side of the bed, and he pulled me into his arms, running his fingers through my hair and rubbing my back.

I sighed and leaned my forehead against his shoulder, still stubbornly refusing to cry.

He leaned his cheek against my head, and his beard poked me through my hair, "It's okay to cry, Reyna. Even your brother needs to be reminded of that sometimes."

With those words, I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I cried softly against his shoulder, reminded of the times when I was younger, and worshipped Hughes as much as I did Roy. I didn't make a noise, the only indication I was crying was the shaking of my shoulders, and slowly, the tears stopped.

I drew in ragged breaths, and Hughes just held me.

"There you go. See? Wasn't that bad, was it? Don't worry, Roy will come to his senses eventually. In the meantime, maybe you should try extending a hand too. You're siblings, you'll make up sometime. Just….. Just try to understand that Roy is worried about you. Even if he doesn't show it, he does care." Hughes said.

I nodded, and he held me away from him, giving me a friendly smile before wiping the tears off my cheeks.

"Also, I might even sick Hawkeye on him."

I giggled at the image of an angry Riza hounding my brother, and Hughes' face broke into a wide smile.

"There's that smile I wanted to see. Gotta keep that there, kiddo." Then he stood up, "Anyway. I've gotta check on the Elrics. I had some people bring a change of clothes for you since I know you hate those hospital gowns. So you can get dressed. Just be careful, okay? Don't strain those ribs more. They're just cracked, but we don't want them to get worse. Okay young lady?" He waved his finger threatingly at me, but his smile belayed his words.

I saluted him anyway, chirping a playful, "Yes sir!"

He puffed out his chest, threw me a wink, then began to walk out, "Oh, and there's an officer outside the door if you need help."

Then he was gone.

I shook my head, smiling at him. Hopefully he was right. Though, he normally was.

I looked over at the spare chair and noticed that my clothes were there, including my alchemist coat and pocket watch.

Carefully, I got out of bed, hissing in pain as my ribs protested the movement.

I knew the floor was probably cold, but I couldn't feel it anyway, so I walked across the room and grabbed the first thing I could.

FMAB

After I was dressed, which took much longer than it should have, in a comfortable pair of jeans, black boots, a purple tank top, and a black jacket, I began to walk outside.

I swung my coat over my shoulder as I walked out into the hall.

I was greeted by Ross, who nodded respectfully to me. "Major Mustang!" She greeted, snapping to attention.

I forgot that Alchemists are automatically promoted to Majors. Great.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes and returned the salute, if lazily. "Hello Lieutenant."

"Are you sure you're well enough to be walking around, Major?" She asked as she looked at me worriedly.

I did roll my eyes then. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just a few bruises is all." I replied. My voice sounded a lot better than it did when I woke up, but I still sounded kind of sick.

Ross raised an eyebrow, "Forgive me if I don't believe you."

I smirked at her, "Fair enough. Consider yourself forgiven. Where's your partner, anyway?"

"With Major Elric and his brother." Came the reply.

I nodded, "Alright. Could you take me to them, please?"

FMAB

After a short trip, I pushed open a door to see a blonde woman with tear tracks on her cheeks and red eyes standing in the center of the room with a wrench in her hands, facing Hughes.

They turned to me as I walked inside and I raised an eyebrow, "Don't tell me you've chased Ed and Al away already, Hughes."

He gave me a smirk, "Good to see you're back to your usual self, Reyna." Then he waved me forward, waving his hand to the blonde girl who was staring at me curiously.

"Reyna, this is Winry Rockbell. She's Ed's mechanic!" Hughes chirped, then he leaned down next to my ear, "Who Ed may or may not be trying to seduce." Before declaring louder, despite Winry having heard and turning cherry red, "Winry, this is the lovely Reyna Mustang!"

I held a hand out to her, "Pleasure to meet you. How does one handle Ed's version of seducing?"

She glared at Hughes, but took my hand to give it a firm shake. "Edward and I aren't dating, as Hughes seemed to have gotten it into his head that we were, and Ed wasn't trying to seduce me!"

I looked around the room, as if Ed would be hiding underneath the bed, "Speaking of, where is he? And where's Al?"

Winry fidgeted, tightening her grip on the wrench in her hands. "Well, Al….. Is dealing with some problems, and Ed doesn't like it. I had to beat some sense into Al…. I think they're both on the roof now or something."

At my confused look, after all, how could Al get into that much trouble that Ed wouldn't like it? Winry told me what Al had convinced himself was true.

At the end of her tale, I was already running down the hallway, intent on finding the two idiots I called my friends.


End file.
